Cantaloupe containers



1963 F. P. cuRTlss ETAL 3,100,595

CANTALOUPE CONTAINERS Filed Feb. 27, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORSFLoYD P. Cum-n55 6 EDWARD F Ram-H BY ATTog M EYs United States Patent3,109,595 CANTALOIJPE (IQNTAINERS Floyd P. Uurtiss, Temple City, andEdward F. Keith, Downey, alit., assignors to Continental Can Company,Inc, New York, NFL, a corporation of New York Filed Feb. 27, 1961, Ser.No. 91,867 8 Claims. (til. 22*-27) This invention relates in general tonew and useful improvements in containers, and more particularly to anovel combined display and shipping container for cantaloupe and otherlarge items of produce.

Large items of produce, such as cantaloupe, honeydew melons, etc., arecustomarily shipped in wooden crates due to the weights of such items.However, wooden crates are relatively expensive and must be openedbefore the item-s of produce can be inspected, as is usually the case inthe selling of the produce. It is therefore the primary object of thisinvention to provide a novel paperboard container for large items ofproduce, particularly cantaloupes, which container is relativelyinexpensive as compared to wooden crates and at the same time is ofsufiicient strength to properly protect the cantaloupe during shipment.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel container forshipping and displaying large items of produce, such as cantaloupes, thecontainers including two container sections which are disposed inside-by-side relation and are connected together by a common top wall orcover panel, the container sections and the cover panel being integrallyconnected and the cover panel serving to rigidly connect together thetwo container sections.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel container forshipping large items of produce, the container being formed from asingle sheet of material and being readily folded to define two separatecontainer sections, the two container sections being disposed insideby-side relation and having a common cover panel, the cover panelserving to connect together upper edges or outer side walls of the twocontainer sections, and the cover panel having depending end flaps whichextend across the complete ends of the two container sections and securetogether the ends of the container sections.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel blank forforming a large container for receiving large items of produce, such ascantaloupe, the blank being rectangular in outline and formed of a sheetof paperboard or like paper product, and the blank being divided intowalls and flaps by a plurality of fold lines and slits without the lossof any material whatsoever, the blank being foldable to define twoseparate container sections connected to gether by a single top wallpanel.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a novel containerfor large items of produce, the container including two containersections connected together by a cover panel, the cover panel havingenlarged openings therein aligned with the two container sections, andthe individual openings being formed by folding a pair of flaps out ofthe cover panel with the flaps extending along the respective side wallsof the respective container section and forming cushions for items ofproduce disposed within the container sections.

With the above, and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear,the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by referenceto the following detailed description, the appended claims and theseveral views illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

3,,ldiL595 Patented Aug. 13, I963 In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the container which is the subject ofthis invention and shows generally the details thereof.

FIGURE 2 is a horizontal sectional view on a large scale taken along theline 2-2 of FIGURE 1 and shows the specific details of construction ofthe container including the relationship of cantaloupes disposedtherein.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view' taken along the line3-3 of FIGURE 1 and shows further the details of construction of thecontainer.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view taken along the line44 of FIGURE 1 and also shows details of construction of the container.

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of the blank from which the container is formed.

Reference is now made to the drawings in detail wherein the container isgenerally referred to by the numeral 6. The container 6 is formed from ablank generally referred to by the numeral 7. The blank 7 is illustratedin FIGURE 5, and it is believed that the structural details of thecontainer 6 may be best understood by first considering the details ofthe blank 7.

The blank 7 is formed of a sheet of paperboard or like paper product andis generally rectangular in outline, as is best shown in FIGURE 5. Theblank 7 is provided with a pair of longitudinally extending fold lines3, 9 which are disposed adjacent, but spaced inwardly or" the side edgesof the blank 7 to separate the blank 7' into a central wall portion andouter flap portions, the wall portion being generally referred to by thenumeral 10, and the outer flap portions being generally referred to bythe numerals 11 and 12.

The central wall portion 10 is divided into a plurality of individualwalls by a plurality of fold lines which extend transversely of theblank '7 between the fold lines 8 and 9. These fold lines includeoutermost fold lines 13, 14 which set ofi at the opposite ends of thecentral wall portion :10 side walls 15, 16. Fold lines l7, 18 are spacedinwardly of the fold lines 13, 14, respectively, and the area of thecentral wall portion 10 between the fold lines t?) and I7 is in the formof a bottom wall 19 while the area of the central wall portion 10between the fold lines 14 and 18 is in the form of a bottom wall 20. Thecentral wall portion 10 is further divided by a pair of fold lines 21,22 which are disposed adjacent the fold lines 17 and 18, respectively.The portion of the central wall portion 10 between the fold lines '17and 21 is in the form of a side Wall 23, whereas the portion of thecentral wall portion 10 between the fold lines 18 and 22 is in the formof a side wall 24. The portion of the central wall portion 10 betweenthe fold lines 21 and 22 is in the form of a top wall or cover panel 25.

The outer flap portion 11 is divided into a plurality of individual endflaps by a plurality of transverse slits which are aligned with the foldlines of the central wall portion 10. These slits include a pair ofouter slits 26, 27 which set oit a pair of end flaps 28, 29 hingedlyconnected to the side walls 15, 16, respectively. A pair or slits 3t),31 are disposedinwardly of the slits 26, 2'7, respectively, and arealigned with the fold lines 17, 18, respectively. The portion of theouter flap portion iii between the slits 26 and 30 is in the form of anend panel 32 on the end of the bottom wall 19, whereas the portion ofthe outer flap portion 11 between the slits 27 and 31 is in the form ofan end flap 33 on one end of the bottom wall 20. The outer ilap portion11 is also provided with a pair of slits 34-, 35 which are aligned withthe fold lines 21, 22, respectively, and define opposite ends of an endflap as which is disposed at one end of the central panel 25. Theportion of the outer flap portion 11 between the slits 3G, 34 is in theform of an end flap 37 on the side wall 23 while the portion of theouter flap portion 11 between the slits 31, 35 is in the form of an endflap 38 on the end of the side wall 24.

The outer flap portion 12 is provided with a plurality of slitsidentical to the slits formed in the outer flap portion 11. ese slitsinclude slits 59, all, ll, 42, 4.3 and 44- which correspond to the slits2s, 3d, 34, 35, Ill and 27, respectively. These slits in the outer flapportion 12 set oil end flaps which include an end flap 44 on the sidewall corresponding to the end flap 22; an end flap 45 on the bottom wall1? corresponding to the end flap 32; an end flap as on the side wall 23corresponding to the end flap 37; an end fiap 47 on the cover panelcorresponding to the end flap 36; an end flap on the side Wall 24corresponding to the end flap 33; an end flap 49 on the bottom wallcorresponding to the end flap 33; and an end flap 59 on the side wall 16corresponding to the end flap 29.

The cover panel 25 is provided with two pairs of opposed Ct-shaped cuts51 with the C-shaped cuts of each pair being connected together by foldlines 52 and 53, which are in parallel relation, the fold line 52 beingdisposed adjacent the fold line 21, with the fold line 53 being disposedadjacent the center of the cover panel 25'. The C-shaped cuts Sll arefurther connected together by a zig-Zag out 54 todefine a generally(l-shaped flap 56 connected to the cover panel 25 along the fold line 52and a generally T-shaped fiap 57 connected to the cover panel 25 alongthe fold line The other pair of C-shaped cuts 51 are connected togetherby two parallel fold lines 58, 53* with the fold line 59 being disposedadjacent the fold line 22, and the fold line being disposed adjacent thefold line 53'. The Q-shaped cuts 51 connected together by the fold lines53,59 are also connected together by a Z-shaped out line do whichdefines a T-shaped flap or connected to the cover panel 25 along thefold line 58 and a (l-shaped flap 62 connected to the cover panel 25along the fold line 5h.

The bottom wall =19 is provided with a plurality of oval-outlineventilation openings 63. Similar ventilation openings 64 are formed inthe bottom wall 28*.

In the forming of the container 6 from the blank. 7, the blank 7 isfolded along the fold line 13 until the side Wall 15 is disposed normalto the plane or the bottom Wall 19. The side Wall 15 and the bottom wall19 are then folded as a unit along the fold line 17 until the side walls15 and 23 are in parallel relation. The walls l5, l9 and 23 are thenfolded along the fold line 21 until the bottom wall 1 9 is disposedparallel to the cover panel 25. The side walls 16 and 24 and the bottomwall 23 are folded in the same manner asdescribed above with respect tothe side walls 15 and 23 and the bottom wall 19. The folding of theselatter walls may be done after the fielding of the Walls l5, l9 and 23,or simultaneously therewith.

I The end flaps 28, 37, 38, 29, 44', 46, 48 and 5h are then foldedinwardly into overlapping relation with respective ones of each other.Next, the end flap 32 is folded up in face-to-face relation with respectto the end flaps 28, 37, while the end flap is folded up into face-toface relation with respect to the end flaps 44', 46. In a similarmanner, the end flap 33 is fielded up into face.-to-face relationwithrespect to the end flapsengagement with the end flaps 32 and 33 on handand the end flaps and 49 on the other hand. The

adhesive securement of the end flap 36 to the end flaps 32 and 33 andthe adhesive securement of the end flap 65 to the end flaps 45 and 4 9results in a rigid container construction. However, if desired, althoughnot necessary, the overlapping portions or" the end flaps 2S and 37could be secured to each other and to the end flap 32; the overlappingportions of the end flaps 33 and 2 9 may be secured together and theseend flaps may be secured to the end fiap 33; the overlapping portions ofthe end flaps 44 and 46 may be secured together and these end flapssecured to the end flap :5; and the overlapping portions of the endflaps 4'8 and till may be secured together and these end flaps securedto the end flap 49. Further, the abutting faces of the side walls 15 and16 may also be adhesively secured together.

After the blank 7 has been folded in the above described manner and thevarious portions thereof secured together, preferably by adhesive,although staples could he used, the flaps 56, 57, 61 and 62 are foldedinwardly to the positions illustrated in FlGURES 1, 2, 3 and 4. Thisresults in the formation of openings so and '67 in the cover panel 25through which items of produce, such as cantaloupes 76 illustrated inFIGURE 2, may be placed, and viewed. At this time it is pointed out thatin the formation of the container 6, there is actually formed twocontainer sections, generally referred to by the numerals 68, 69, overwhich the cover panel 25 extends.

Reiorence is now made to FIGURE 3 in papticular, wherein it is shownthat the flaps 56 and 57 diverge downwardly and are wedged into thecorners of the container section 68 along the side edges of ohe bot-tomwall 19 thereof. in a similar manner, the flaps 61 and 62 divergedownwardly and are wedged into the side corners of the container section69 along the side edges of she bottom wall Ztl thereof. The flaps 56,5'7, 61 and 62 will be engaged by anticles of produce packed within thecontainer 6 and will havein effect a wedging action on the produce as t'e'll as a cushioning action thereon.

Although the container 6' has not been illustrated as being providedwith suitable hand holes to :fiacilitate the handling thereof, ifdesired, the ends of the container 6 maybe rovided with hand holes asdesired;

It will be readily apparent from FIGURES 1 and 2 that the container tiprovides adequate protection [for the articles or" produce packedtherein, such as the cantaloupes 7t), and at .the same time, thecontalonpes 7% may be readily viewed through the openings 66 and 67 todetermine the size and quality thereof. Due to the specific construotionof the container 6, the cantaloupes 7% or other produce may be readilyshipped or stored within the container 6, the container 6 having iamplestnengthto permit the stacking of numerous filled containers one uponthe other. On the other hand, it will be readily apparent that thecontainer 6 is formed firoln a minimum of ntatenial in [that [the blank7 is of a rectangular out-line and I ore is no loss of material. 7

From :t'ne foregoing, it will be seen that novel and advantageousprovision has been made for carrying out the desired end. However,attention is again directed to the fia-ct that variations may be made inthe example container disclosed herein without departing irorn thespirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed as new:

l. A one-piece container for cantaloupe and the like comprising ofcontainer sections disposed in sideby-side relation, each containersection including a'b'ottorn wall, an inner side wall, an outer sideWall, and flaps connected to opposite ends of each side wall, a fullWidth end flap secured to each end Olf each of said bottom walls, eachinner side Wallbeing formed from abutting free end panels and havingadjacent upper free edges, a cover panel overlying said containersections at said upper free edges and being integrally connected toupper edges of p said outer side walls, and end flaps at opposite endsof said cover panel and extending the full width thereof, said coverpanel end flaps, said side wall end flaps and said bottom wall end flapsbeing permanently secured together, the container being a combinedshipping and display container, and said cover panel having a pair ofarticle passing openings with each of said openings being aligned with:a respective one of said container sections, each article passingopening being of an extent corresponding to a major portion of the areaof the respective container section and being of a width less than therespective container section with each opening having side edges spacedfrom said inner and outer side walls of the respective containersection, and each article passing opening resulting in the formation oftwo depending panels extending generally the full length of therespective anticle passing opening with said depending panels beingwider than the heights of said inner and outer side walls and slopinginto abutting contact with corners defined by respective ones of saidbottom wall and said inner and outer side walls to provide resilientcushions for cantaloupe and the like contained in said container.

2. The container of claim 1 wherein the combined maximum widths of eachpair of said elongated panels being greater than the width of therespective article passing opening.

3. The container of claim 2 wherein one elongated panel of each pair ofelongated panels is of a U-shape and the other elongated panel is of aTshape.

4. A one-piece container for cantaloupe and the like comprising a pairof container sections disposed in sideby-side relation, each containersection including a bottom wall, an inner side wall, an outer side wall,said inner side walls being defined by :a pair of end panels disposed inback re-back abutting engagement and having adjacent upper free edges, acover panel overlying said container sections and being integrallyconnected to upper edges of said outer side walls and having a centnalportion abutting said end panel free edges, end flaps connected toopposite ends of each side wall, an end flap secured to each end of eachof said bottom walls, end flap at opposite ends of said cover panel andextending the full width thereof, means permanently securing all of saidend flaps together to form a rigid assembly, and said cover panel havinga pair of article passing openings with each of said openings beingaligned a respective one of said container sections and having an extentcorresponding to a major portion of but less than the areas of therespective container section.

5. A one-piece container for cantaloupe and the like comprising a pairof containerrsections disposed in sideby-side relation, each containersection including a bottom wall, an inner side wall, an outer side wall,said inner side walls being defined by a pair of end panels disposed inback-to-back engagement md having adjacent upper free edges, 21 coverpanel overlying said container sections and being integrally connectedto upper edges of said outer side walls and having a central portionabutting said end panel free edges, end flaps connected to opposite endsof each side wall, an end flap secured to each end of each of saidbottom walls, end flaps at opposite ends of said cover panel andextending the full width thereof, means perinanently securing all ofsaid end flaps together to form a rigid assembly, and said cover panelhaving a pair of article passing openings with each of said openingsbeing aligned with a respective one of said container sections andhaving an extent corresponding to a major portion of the areas of therespective container section,'each article passing opening being of awidth less than the respective container section with each openinghaving side edges spaced from said inner and outer side walls of therespective container section, and each article passing opening resultingin the formation of two depending panels ex tending generally the fulllength. of the respective article passing opening with said dependingpanels being wider 6 than the heights of said inner and outer side wallsand sloping into corners befined by respective ones of said bottom walland said inner and outer side walls to provide resilient cushions forcantaloupe and the like contained in said container.

6. A blank for forming a two compartment container, said blankcomprising a rectangular sheet having a pair of longitudinal fold linesextending the full length of said sheet and set inwardly from oppositeedges of said blank and dividing said blank into a central wall formingportion and outer flap portions, a plurality of transverse fold linesextending between said longitudinal fold lines and dividing said centralwall forming portions into indv-idual container Wall panels including acentral top wall panel having a container section bottom wall panel anda pair of side wall panels on each side thereof, one side wall panel ofsaid pair of side wall panels being disposed on opposite sides of arespective one of said bottom wall panels, said blank being symmetricalabout a transverse center line thereof and said central top wall panelbeing of a width twice that of said bottom wall panels, all of said sidewall panels being of the same width, and slits across said outer flapportions in alignment with each of said transverse fold lines dividingeach outer flap portion into a plurality of end flaps wherein each ofsaid wall panels has a flap at each end thereof, said top wall panelhaving a pair of elongated openings therein, each of said openingshaving an extent corresponding to a major portion of the extent of saidbottom wall panels and having a width less than the width of arespective bottom wall panel, and each opening being formed by a pair ofelongated flaps foldable out of the plane of said top wall panel, eachof said elongated fiaps having a maximum width in excess of the widthsof said side wall panels whereby in an erected container each of saidelongated flaps forms a sloping cushion extending generally the fulllength of the respective opening and has a free edge thereof wedged in acorner defined by one of said side wall panels and one of said bottomwall panels.

7. The container blank of claim 6 wherein said elongated fiaps ofeachpair are in internesting relation and the combined width of each pair ofsaid elongated flaps is greater than the width of the respectiveopening.

8. A one-piece container for cantaloupeand the like comprising a pair ofcontainer sections disposed in sideby-side relation, each containersection including a bottom Wall, an inner side wall, an outer side wall,said inner side walls being defined by a pair of end panels disposed inback-to-back engagement and having adjacent upper free edges, a coverpanel overlying said container sections and being integrally connectedto upper edges of said outer side walls and having a central portionabutting said end panel free edges, end flaps connected to opposite endsof each sidewall, an end flap secured to each end of each of said bottomwalls, end flaps at opposite ends of said cover panel and extending thefull width thereof, means permanently securing all of said end flapstogether to form a rigid assembly, and said cover panel having a pair ofarticle passing openings with each of said openings being aligned with arespective one of said container sections and :having an extentcorresponding to a major portion of the areas of the respectivecontainer section, each article passing opening being of .a width lessthan the respective container section with each opening having sideedges spaced from said inner and outer side walls ofthe respectivecontainer section, and each article passing opening resulting intheformation of two depending panels extending generally the full length ofthe respective article passing opening with said depending panelssloping into the interior of the respective container section indiverging relation [to provide resilent cushions for cantaloupe and thelike contained in said container.

(References on following page) References Qited in the file: of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS Gilfillan June 14, 1910 Schoettle Dec. 3,1912 5 Rayn-aud Aug. 31, 1915 Ryan et a1 Aug. 7, 1928 Barad Dec. 27,1932 Cottrill Feb. 28, 1961

1. A ONE-PIECE CONTAINER FOR CANTALOUPE AND THE LIKE COMPRISING A PAIROF CONTAINER SECTIONS DISPOSED IN SIDEBY-SIDE RELATION, EACH CONTAINERSECTION INCLUDING A BOTTOM WALL, AN INNER SIDE WALL, AN OUTER SIDE WALL,AND FLAPS CONNECTED TO OPPOSITE ENDS OF EACH SIDE WALL, A FULL WIDTH ENDFLAP SECURED TO EACH END OF EACH OF SAID BOTTOM WALLS, EACH INNER SIDEWALL BEING FORMED FROM ABUTTING FREE END PANELS AND HAVING ADJACENTUPPER FREE EDGES, A COVER PANEL OVERLYING SAID CONTAINER SECTIONS ATSAID UPPER FREE EDGES AND BEING INTEGRALLY CONNECTED TO UPPER EDGES OFSAID OUTER SIDE WALLS, AND END FLAPS AT OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID COVERPANEL AND EXTENDING THE FULL WIDTH THEREOF, SAID COVER PANEL END FLAPS,SAID SIDE WALL END FLAPS AND SAID BOTTOM WALL END FLAPS BEINGPERMANENTLY SECURED TOGETHER, THE CONTAINER BEING A COMBINED SHIPPINGAND DISPLAY CONTAINER, AND SAID COVER PANEL HAVING A PAIR OF ARTICLEPASSING OPENINGS WITH EACH OF SAID OPENINGS BEING ALIGNED WITH ARESPECTIVE ONE OF SAID CONTAINER SECTIONS, EACH ARTICLE PASSING OPENINGBEING OF AN EXTENT CORRESPONDING TO A MAJOR PORTION OF THE AREA OF THERESPECTIVE CONTAINER SECTION AND BEING OF A WIDTH LESS THAN THERESPECTIVE CONTAINER SECTION WITH EACH OPENING HAVING SIDE EDGES SPACEDFROM SAID INNER AND OUTER SIDE WALLS OF THE RESPECTIVE CONTAINERSECTION, AND EACH ARTICLE PASSING OPENING RESULTING IN THE FORMATION OFTWO DEPENDING PANELS EXTENDING GENERALLY THE FULL LENGTH OF THERESPECTIVE ARTICLE PASSING OPENING WITH SAID DEPENDING PANELS BEINGWIDER THAN THE HEIGHTS OF SAID INNER AND OUTER SIDE WALLS AND SLOPINGINTO ABUTTING CONTACT WITH CORNERS DEFINED BY RESPECTIVE ONES OF SAIDBOTTOM WALL AND SAID INNER AND OUTER SIDE WALLS TO PROVIDE RESILIENTCUSHIONS FOR CANTALOUPE AND THE LIKE CONTAINED IN SAID CONTAINER.